Vehicle advancing by means of artificial legs.



A. EHRLIGH. VEHICLE ADVANOING BY MEANS OF. ARTIFICIAL LEGS.

' 1' 1 111011121011 FILED SEPT. 11, 1911. 1

1,079,695. Patented Nov. 25, 1913,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' Many A. BHRLIGH.

VEHICLE ADVANGING BY MEANS OF ARTIFICIAL LEGS.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 11, 1911.

7 1 079 95" Patentd Nov. 25, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, A. EHRLIGI VEHICLE ADVANCING BY MEANS OF ARTIFICIAL LEGS.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 11, 1911. 1,079, 95 I Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH coqwAsmNcTon. I, c.

A. EHRLIGH. VEHICLE ADVANGING BY MEANS OF ARTIFICIAL LEGS.

APPLICATION IILBD SEPT. 11, 1911.

1,079,695, Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON. D- c.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

AD OsLF EI-IRL-IlO-H, 0F" BUDAPEST; AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

VEHIGLE ADVANCING BY MEANS: OF ARTIFICIAL LEGS.

To all whom itmayxconoern Y Be it known that I, Anonr EHRmoH, a subjectof theEmperor of Austria-Hungary,

and resident of Budapest, Austria-Hungary,

This invention relates to improvements motor vehicles which are causedto, advance.

by means of artificial legs.

The object of these improvements is to obtain a quiet, uniform motion ofsaid vehicles, to allow them'otion of them also on; yielding and unevensurfaces or roads and to provide them with a steering'mechanismlcorresponding to their construction and manner of working.

To this end the artificial legs made according' to these improvementsare composed of three parts the upper leg, the lower leg and the foot,-connected together by meansof three joints,-the hip joint, the kneejointand" the ankle joint and moved alter nately by means of a cam diskprovided with grooves and continuously rotating around a shaft thearrangement belng such that the said'legs moveuniformly but nearly twiceas rapidly forward as backward so that consequently the left leg, bothlegs, the right leg, then again both legs-together are moved backwardone after the other and thus cause the vehicle to move forward in theorder explained. The vehicle is thus moved forward in an uninterruptedmanner and the artificial legs are placed on the ground over which thevehicle travels, in a stretched position and without any shocks.

composed of two unequal halves each of which forms an involute ofaciroleso as to obtain uniform working in the forward as well as in thebackward direction, the smaller one of said halves moving the leg withnearly double the speed forward than the larger half lead's'it backward.On; the outside of this groove the face of the cam wheel is providedwith another groove which in a similar manner'moves a shorter rod whichby means of pieces of wire cable Specification of LettersPatent;

iand bell crank levers inserted between them lbends the lower leg at theknee joint back- ;ward with reference to the upper leg while {the upperleg moves forward inthe hip joint, so that the leg on yielding or unevenground can move forward without hindrance and is again stretched byacoiled spring'posi'tioned in front of the knee joint, before it isagain" put on the ground. A third groove arranged on the same face sidebends the footbackward with reference to the lower leg during the timeduring which the upper leg covms the last part of its rearwardlyditfemporarily; The leg which then moves farther backward in spiteof'the fact that it forms a larger angle with the vertical line drawnthrough the hip joint, may exert at the same time a tractional eifort onthe vehicle owing to the extension cited above as the other leg, which ashort space of time before had" been put on the ground; besidesfitraises the front end of the vehicle which otherwise would be'lowered.

The adjustment of the wheels which is usually employed in the usualmotor vehicles is not sufiicient for steering a vehicle which is moved"forward by means of legs; besides the differential gear formed of gearwheels cannot be applied to the latter. The steer-ing of the vehicle isgoverned accordthe' pairsof legs together with theircommonbearings'supporting the hip joints are brought intothe desireddirection; the action of the differential gear is replaced by the lengthof the stepof the leg walking on the larger arc of the curve of theroadbeof the leg walking on the smaller arc is refClHCGd. 'Both operationsare carried out at the same time by means of a balance ;beam which ismoved by a segment meshing with the worm of the steering mechanism whileanother segment moved by the same worrn shifts in the usual manner thefront wheels so that the vehicle can be steered alsoin cases when thelegs are not in actiondur'ing a downhillrun, when stopping and so forth.The present improvements also provide means allowing of the distancebetween the vehicle frame and the steered.

ffrontaxle being adjusted according to the nature of the ground.

Patented Nov. 25, 1913. ap lication filed-September 1 1,.1911.Serial-No. 648,710.

ofthe wheel still farther on the out rected motion, and thus lengthensthe leging to the present invention by the fact that ing. increasedwhile the length of the step The accompanying drawings show one form ofembodiment of the improved motor vehicle driven by a petrol motor, andin these drawings:

' Figure 1 is a-.side elevation view of the vehicle; Fig. 2 shows thetop plan view of same the bonnet being removed from the engine; Fig. 4is a horizontal section ofa fly wheel disk which shows the arrangementof the grooves the rollers contained in same, the

pinsengaging said rollers as well as the actuating rods and links movedby them. Fig. 5 shows both sides of a cam wheel, the relative positionof the grooves of each side, the quadrants designated by the same Romanfigures being opposite each other on both sides of the fly wheel disk.Fig. 6'is a detail view of the rod moved by thebalance beam providedwith rotary rings and serving to raise the rods actuating the legs.

The motor 1 drives by means of the driv ing shaft 2 and of the bevelgear wheels 3 and 1 the shaft 5 on which the small chain wheels 6 arekeyed The latter are connected 7 by means of chains 7 with the sprockets8 .keyed on'the shaft 9 whereby the rotation of the shaft 5 journaled onthe framework 27 is transmitted to the shaft 9 j o-urnaled on frame 27.a i Rigidly secured to the shaft 9 are two cam wheels 10 each side ofwhich is provided with three cam grooves 12, 13 and 14 of which theinnermost groove 12 is eccentrically arranged with reference to theshaft 9 and has the shape of a heart the unequal circle halves of whichform involutes of circles. Provided on the outside of the groove 12 isthe larger, narrower groove 13. The groove 13 has an inwardly directedbend e directed toward the groove 12 and correspending to the smallerhalf 7) of the latter. Still farther on the outside is the groove 14which is provided with ,a bend f directed inwardly opposite the partcomprised between the circular half a and the circular half 6 of thegroove 12 which part is positioned nearer to the shaft 9. The groovesarranged on the one side of the cam wheel 10 are displaced angularly 180with reference to those on the opposite side.

The groove 12 during the rotation of the cam wheel'10 moves alternatelyby means of its smallerhalf b the connecting rod 21 forward with a rapidand rectilinear motion and backward bymeans of the larger circular halfa with a slow and uniform motion. 1 For this purpose the groove 12 isengaged by the roller 15 which in turn is engaged by the pin 18 whichprojects at right angles o from'the'connecting rod 21. The rear end ofthe connecting rod-21 which projects bei yond the pin 18 is forked andstraddles the shaft 9, the latter having flanges 24 to prevent theconnecting rod 21 from sliding side- 5 wise. .The front end ofthelconnectlng rod secured the rope 63.

21 passes through the ring 50 which is suspended from the laterallyprojected hinge 49, and is hingedly connected with the loop 26 as at 25.The loop 26 surrounds the upper leg 32 and is adapted to slide upwardand downward on the latter.

During that part of the rotation which is governed by the are parts 0and d z'. a. while the latter slide along the roller 16, the connectingrods 21 are pulled backward on both sides of the cam wheel 10; duringthe remainder of the time, the connecting rod is pulled backward on oneside of the cam wheel while the connecting rod positioned on theopposite side is pushed forward. 0

The upper part 32 of the leg I is connected with the upper part of theneighboring leg 11 in the common journal 30 by means of a hinge 35 insuch a manner that both can only oscillate in alternation forward andback- 35 ward. The bearing 30 is arranged and adapted to rotate aroundthe vertical pivot 31 under the cross beam 29 which is secured position.

The horizontally positioned foot 34 is connected with the lower end ofthe lower leg 33 by means of an ankle joint 37 so as to be able to moveforward and backward with reference to the lower part of the leg. Therear end of the foot forms a heel 71 to which is attached the rope 6 1.The rope passes upward through the ring 65 on the upper part 32 of theleg. The rope is then secured to the lower arm of the bell crank lever72 which is pivotally supported between extensions 73, on the upper part32 of the leg. The leg is also provided with another bent lever 62adapted to rotate about the transverse pivot 74. To this lever 62 is Therope 63 passes from the lever 62 to the portion 71 of the lower leg 33and is secured thereto.

Positioned in the middle groove 13 of the cam wheel 10 is the roller 16which is engaged by the pin 19 which projects at right angles from therod 22. The latter passes through the ring 59 which is adapted to rotatearound its shaft and is secured to the auxiliary frame 11 by means ofbeams 61 together with the remaining rings which on the same side of thevehicle serve for the same purpose. The front end of the rod 22 isconnected with the rope 57 the front end of the leg to move forward inthe hip joint 35'the arc=parte ofFthe groove. I13. pulls-the rod. 22.and with; it. the; rope 57 bacl'twa rd whereby the: bell crank lever 62is caused. to bend byxmeansof' the cable 63* the lower part 33. of theleg with referenceto the upper part 32. so" that: the foot. is raised;from the ground. If during the further: rotation of the disk: 10- thetraction of the .rod 22. ceases, the kneespring 38 straightens the legbefore the foot 34 is: put on theground.

The-outermost: groove 14' of the cam wheel 10 actuates the roller'17:which. is; engagedby the pin' 20 which: projects atrightangles from therod 23. Thelatter passes-through the ring 60 which: in. turn. ismounted? on; the beam 61 so as to be able torotatearound itshorizontally positioned shaft Gonnected; with the front end z ofthe' rod23'is -the rope 58 the. front end ofwhich. is knotted to the upper armofvthis-bellicrank' lever 72.. While the arc part fof the groover14slides along the roller H's-during thesame time in which the upper leg/part. 32 which is pulled: backward. bythe rod 23 approaches its rearextreme position the rod 23. pulls. theheel. 71: upward bymeans oftherope 58 the bell: crank lever 72 and the rope 64, whereby the foot 34isbent backward thuslengthening the leg: momentarily. The spring? 33positioned. in front of the joint 37 has a. tendency tohold the foot 34so that it is moderately bent backward.

The vehicle iss-teered by means of a handwheel 40 through the medium ofa worm 41' which: meshes with two sectors 42 and 43.

The segment 42. which; is positioned in front. of the worm 41 shift-sthe pairs of legs together with their common hinge-bearing 30 withreference to the cross beam 29: and also produces a greater length ofstep:

ofthe legs on. the-larger'arc of the curve of the, road, as well as asmaller length of.

steps on thesmaller are by means of: a balance 471, while at the sametime the lower segment 43 shifts the front wheels 66 in the usual mannerby means of lovers 45.

The segment 42 moves the horizontally arranged lever 44 the front endofwhich is hingedly connected with the'rod 46- depending from the rightarm of. the balance 47. The central part of. the balance beam oscillatesaround the pivot. 48, from both ends of it rods 49 lead'downward androds.

52 upward. Each ofthe upwardly leading rods 52 is movably connected withback? wardly directed armof a bell crank lever ithefree end. of'thelever 44 israised on the i right hand side by means of'the segment 42,the rod 46'raises on this side the arm of the balance beam 47. The rod52 rising from this: arm raises the horizontal arm. of the bell crank.lever 53; the downwardly projectingiarm. of. whichpulls thereafter therod backward. whereby the right hand bear- 30; together with the pair oflegs depending. from it. rotates toward: the left around the pivot. 31.i of the beam 47 lowers at the same time the rod: 52.; the latter pullsthe horizontal: branch of the bell crank lever. 53 of this sidedownward; the downwardly directedl The left .hand arm iquently moveupward on the upper parts of. the legs, whereby larger oscillationslofthe legs and thus larger strides of the latlterare obtained. At thesame timethe left ihand arm of thebalance beam47 lowers the Zactuatingrods 21 of the left sideby means lof the rod 49 and the rings 50. Withthe Zsaidf rods 21'. the loops 26 of this side slide Edownward on theupper parts 32 of. the :legs whereby smaller strides of the legs areobtained on this side; Thus on the. right side on the larger arc of theroad curve larger strides are obtained while on the left hand side i. e.onithe smaller arc of the road curve the smaller strides of the legs areobtained. At the same time, the worm 41 also moves the lower sector 43which by means iof levers 45 rotates in the usual manner the frontwheels 66 in the direction which corresponds tothe position of the legs.

The front axle 67 is suspended by means of a spring 74 while the vehicleis moving, under the frame 27- in such a manner that the front wheels 66continuously roll on.

the ground, even when the front axle is not charged and when the vehicleonly rests on its legs. stopping thefront axletakes the load from thelegs the front part ofthe vehicle being more or less lowered and thedistance between the frame and the front axle being changed. In order toallow of the said distance being adjusted. according to the conditionsof the ground, a suspension device has been provided between the frame27 and the front axle 67, this suspension device comprising the pivot 68provided with screw threads and movably connected with the frame 27, aring 70 adapted to be ad- During a downhill run or whenjusted on saidpivot and, a tube 69 connected in a'movable manner with the front axleand adapted to receive the pivot 68. As to the remaining parts theconstruction of the vehicle corresponds to that of usual motor carsdriven by petrol engines. The pedal lever 77 serves to disengage thedriving shaft 2 from the motor 1. The hand lever 78 actuates the gearbox80, the hand lever 79 actuating the inner brake 81 acting onthe rearwheel 82 which freely runs on the rear axle 83.

Having now fully described my said invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1; In a-vehicle of the kind described the combination with theframeworkof carrying and steering wheels, legs composed each of an upper legpart, a lower leg part and a foot, hinges connecting the sald leg partstogether and with the sa1d framework, a drlvmg shaft transverselyournaled on said framework, means for rotatlng the said snaft, cam wheelkeyed on said shaft, three cam grooves correspondmg to said leg partsand provided in said cam wheel and connectingrods positively connectingthe said grooves with the said leg parts so that the combination withthe framework of carrysaid grooves directly reciprocate said rods. 2. Ina vehicle of the kind described the circles, a connecting rod connectingeach of said grooves positively with each of said upper leg parts, thearrangement being such that the smaller half of said cam groove movesthe said upper leg part forward with a relatively great speed, and thelarger half .of said cam groove moves the same part backward with aslower and uniform motion, substantially, as and for the purpose setforth. 7 l

3. In a vehicle of the kind described the combination with the frameworkof carrying and steering wheels, a plurality of legs composed each of anupper leg part, a lower leg part and a foot part, means for hingedlyconnecting said leg parts with each other and with the said framework, atransverse driving shaft,'means for rotating said shaft,

a plurality of cam wheels keyed on said shaft, an inner camgroove ineach side of each of said wheels, this groove being composed of unequalhalves, means for operatively connecting said inner cam groove with saidup per leg part, a second cam groove provided in each side of each ofsaid cam wheels around the said inner cam groove and concentrically tothe said driving shaft, an inwardly directed bend in the said second camgroove opposite the smaller half of said inner cam groove, meanscomprising a rod for operatively connecting the said second cam groovewith the said lower leg part the arrangement being such that the rodbends the lower leg part backward with reference to the upper leg partwhile the said inner cam groove moves the said upper leg part rapidlyforward so that the foot part is raised from the ground during theforward motion of the leg, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

4:. In a vehicle of the kind described the combination with theframework of carrying and steering wheels, a plurality of legs composedof an upper leg part, a lower leg part and a foot part, means forhingedly connecting said leg parts with each other and with the saidframework, a transverse driving shaft, means for rotating said shaft, aplurality of cam wheels keyed on said shaft, an inner cam groove in eachside of each of said cam wheels, means for operatively connecting saidinner cam groove with the upper part of each leg, a second cam grooveprovided in each side of each of said cam wheels and surrounding thesaid inner cam groove, means for operatively connecting the said secondcam groove with said lower leg part a third cam groove provided in eachside of each of said cam wheels and surrounding the said second camgroove, a radially inwardly directed depression provided in said thirdcam groove opposite that are part of the said inner cam groove whichcauses the said upper leg part to perform the last part of itsrearwardly directed way, means comprising a rod and adapted topositively connect said outer cam groove with the foot part of the legso that the latter is bent backward with reference to the lower part ofthe leg during that space of time during which the upper leg part coversthe last part of its rearwardly directed way, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

5. In a vehicle of the kind described the combination with the frameworkof carrying for changing the amplitude of the strides of the legs andadapted to be actuated by said rods, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

6. In a vehicle of the kind described the combination with the frameworkof the vehicle of carrying and steering wheels, a plurality ofartificial propelling legs arranged by pairs, means for actuating saidlegs so as to propel the vehicle, a balance beam, means connecting saidbalance beam with said pairs of legs, a steering device comprising aworm, two toothed segments meshing with said worm and adapted to beactuated at the same time by it, a lever operatively connecting theupper one of said segments with the said balance, and a leveroperatively connecting the lower one of said segments with the steeringfront wheels, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

ADOLF EHRLICH.

Witnesses:

C. VAN VELsEN, EM'IL VON WANREELE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

